title: Blood lead level association with lower body weight in NHANES 1999-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lead exposure is associated with low birth-weight. The objective of this study is to determine whether lead exposure is associated with lower body weight in children, adolescents and adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from NHANES 1999-2006 for participants aged ≥3 using multiple logistic and multivariate linear regression. Using age- and sex-standardized BMI Z-scores, overweight and obese children (ages 3-19) were classified by BMI ≥85 th and ≥95 th percentiles, respectively. The adult population (age ≥20) was classified as overweight and obese with BMI measures of 25-29.9 and ≥30, respectively. Blood lead level (BLL) was categorized by weighted quartiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate linear regressions revealed a lower BMI Z-score in children and adolescents when the highest lead quartile was compared to the lowest lead quartile (β (SE)=-0.33 (0.07), p<0.001), and a decreased BMI in adults (β (SE)=-2.58 (0.25), p<0.001). Multiple logistic analyses in children and adolescents found a negative association between BLL and the percentage of obese and overweight with BLL in the highest quartile compared to the lowest quartile (OR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.30-0.59; and OR=0.67, 95% CI: 0.52-0.88, respectively). Adults in the highest lead quartile were less likely to be obese (OR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.35-0.50) compared to those in the lowest lead quartile. Further analyses with blood lead as restricted cubic splines, confirmed the dose-relationship between blood lead and body weight outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BLLs are associated with lower body mass index and obesity in children, adolescents and adults.
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. Electronic address: fes6@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scinicariello
authors.forename: Melanie C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Buser
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mevissen
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Portier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Adults; Body mass index; Children; Lead; NHANES; Obesity